Other Shel Silverstein Books

If you liked The Giving Tree, check out these books by Shel Silverstein. If you haven't had the opportunity to get to know his work, I encourage you to do so. Every kid I know has been delighted with his funny and lighthearted poetry.

Poetry:
A Light in the Attic
Falling Up
Where the Sidewalk Ends: Poems and Drawings

Stories:
A Giraffe and a Half
The Missing Piece (An Ursula Nordstrom Book)
The Missing Piece Meets the Big O
Runny Babbit: A Billy Sook

Have a very happy thanksgiving!

The Giving Tree, Arts and Crafts

I'm posting this tonight because my little chica has a nasty virus. She's sleeping right now, so I thought I'd write while I was coherent and not covered in projectile vomit. I keep waiting for me or the hubby to get sick any minute.

Anyway, here are some arts and crafts ideas that fit nicely with The Giving Tree. Enjoy!

Life Cycle of an Apple:
Divide a piece of construction paper into four squares. Have your child draw the life cycle of an apple, one stage in each square (Seed, tree, blossom, fruit) If you have apple seeds, glue them on the paper.

Leaf Rubbings: Gather leaves from different trees. Place the leaves on a piece of paper and put another piece of paper on top of the leaves. With crayons, rub the leaves until the veins show up on the paper.

Leaf Poster: Take a walk with your child and gather leaves from different types of trees. Also gather other things you find that may have fallen on the ground like pine needles, acorns, and twigs. Glue different types of leaves on a poster and label the type of tree each one came from and decorate the poster with the other items you’ve found.


Parts of a Tree: Draw a picture of an apple tree and label the different parts, such as leaf, branch, twig, and trunk.

Twig Vase: Finally, if you're feeling particularly ambitious, check out this twig vase activity I found online.

The Giving Tree Learning Activities

Here are some learning activities you can use with your child as you read The Giving Tree. I'd love to hear your ideas.

Science:
Life Cycle of Apple: Talk about the life cycle of the apple, from seed to tree to blossom to fruit
Trees: Talk about the uses for trees, from oxygen to wood to paper; Identify the items in your house that are made of wood. Walk around the neighborhood or in a park and collect leaves from trees; identify different types of trees.

Nutrition:
Apples…get different kinds of apples, in different colors. Have him/her taste the different apples and identify his or her favorite. If you are a teacher or have a lot of kids, make an “apple pie chart,” charting everyone’s favorite.
Talk about the different products made from apples, such as applesauce, apple juice, apple butter, and apple pie.


Emotions:
Talk about the difference between happy and sad. Talk about other emotions.

Plant a Tree:
If you have the space and means to do so, plant a tree in your front or back yard. Explain the environmental benefits of planting trees.

Vocabulary:
Make an APPLE poem. Write APPLE down the side of a paper and have your child write a word about apples that corresponds with each letter. OR
Write 5 words that begin with the letters in apple.

Let me know what you tried and how it went!

The Giving Tree, Overview

The Basics:
Title: The Giving Tree
Author: Shel Silverstein
Publisher: HarperCollins
ISBN-10: 0060256656
ISBN-13: 978-0060256654
Recommended Reading Level: Ages 4-8

Synopsis:
The story begins with a tree and boy who are best friends. The tree loves the boy, and the boy loves the tree. The tree gives the boy everything he needs from a vine to swing on to apples to shade to sit under. As the boy grows older, he visits the tree less and less, and when he does visit, he wants more and more. Because the tree loves him so much, it gives him everything he asks for until nothing is left but a stump. The boy leaves and returns many years later as an old man. The tree/stump tells him it has nothing left to give, and the boy/man says all he needs is a place to sit. The tree is happy again and gives him a place to rest.

Initial Impression:
I chose this book to review because it's been one of my favorites for many years, and I absolutely love Shel Silverstein. Until I heard from some of you and did a little research, I had no idea that there were so many strong opinions about this book. Some love it, some hate it. Some say the boy is greedy and selfish and that children readers learn a horrible lesson. Others say it's the story of unconditional love...the kind of love a parent has for a child. Then there are those who compare the tree to Christ and his self-sacrifice.

My opinion? It's a great book...yes, it may not be the happiest book in the world and children could feel sad and sorry for the tree when they read it. However, I'm of the thought that we can't shelter our kids from the real world and always read them tales of happy bunnies and frogs and princesses who live happily everafter. Of course no parent wants to see thier children hurt or sad. I dread the day when my daughter comes home sad because someone else made fun of her. I dread the day when she gets rejected by a boy or doesn't get picked for the lead role in a play or something else she has her heart set on. But you know what? I also know that it will happen. She will be disappointed. She won't always be happy, and there will be times when she will be sad. I already got a taste of this the other morning when I dropped her off at daycare, kissed her goodbye, and heard her screaming for me down the hall as I left the building.

Will I read the The Giving Tree to her when she gets older? Absolutely. It makes you think. It sparks questions. It's beautifully written and tells a touching story of love, friendship, and yes...the dreaded disappointment we've all experienced.

Of course, that's my opinion. I'd love to hear yours.




Check back tomorrow for some reading tips and learning activities.

Next Week's Book: The Giving Tree

Here's a sneak peek into next week's book:

Publisher's synopsis:
'Once there was a tree...and she loved a little boy.'

So begins a story of unforgettable perception, beautifully written and illustrated by the gifted and versatile Shel Silverstein.

Every day the boy would come to the tree to eat her apples, swing from her branches, or slide down her trunk...and the tree was happy. But as the boy grew older he began to want more from the tree, and the tree gave and gave and gave.

This is a tender story, touched with sadness, aglow with consolation. Shel Silverstein has created a moving parable for readers of all ages that offers an affecting interpretation of the gift of giving and a serene acceptance of another's capacity to love in return.

Based on what I've heard from some of you already about this book choice, next week could get pretty interesting!